The present invention relates to an odor absorbing concentrate, and more particularly to a water-soluble odor controlling concentrate that is based-upon zinc ricinoleate and at least one alkoxylated amine. When the water-soluble odor controlling concentrate of the present invention is solubilized by an appropriate solvent, the diluted form of the inventive concentrate exhibits enhanced odor absorbing and deodorizing capabilities because of the presence of a greater number of activated zinc atoms than prior art zinc ricinoleate-containing formulations. Because of the enhanced odor absorbing and deodorizing capabilities, the inventive concentrate and dilutable formulation can be employed in a wide variety of applications including, but not limited to: in carpet cleaners, bathroom cleaners, pet order removers, cat liter deodorizers, car refresheners, floor cleaners, spray deodorizers, food processing plant cleaners and in other like home care applications.
It is widely known that malodors (i.e., undesirable odors) can be controlled and in some instances eliminated by utilizing a deodorizing method such as a masking process, an absorption process, an ozone deodorizing process, or a catalytic process which uses a catalytic material such as a metal oxide or enzyme.
Masking processes control malodors by vaporizing and dispersing an aromatic liquid or solid such as a perfume into the ambient containing the malodor. Thus, masking processes modify the malodor to a more pleasant character by superimposing a dominant, but more pleasant odorant into the ambient. One problem with conventional aromatic liquids and solids is that such compounds tend to evaporate over an extended period of time which may result in the return of the malodor.
Absorption processes control malodors by employing an absorbent such as activated carbon or the like which absorbs odor components from the ambient. Thus, in this process, the level of intensity of the malodor is constantly being reduced from the ambient thereby refreshing the ambient.
The ozone deodorizing process serves to decompose odor components with ozone and in catalytic processes the odor components are modified in some fashion by the catalyst being used. In typical catalytic processes, enzymes are employed as the deodorizers.
In many home care applications, malodor control and/or elimination is achieved mainly by using either a masking process or an absorption process since ozone and catalytic processes are generally not feasible.
Some commonly employed odor absorbents employed in home care applications are formulations that are based on bleach oxidizing agents, peroxides, bactericides which kill microorganisms, cyclodextrins, and/or zinc ricinoleate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,670; 5,668,097; 5,714,137; 5,783,544; 5,939,060; and 5,942,217 disclose odor-absorbing formulations that are based on uncomplexed cyclodextrins. The uncomplexed cyclodextrins employed in these references have a unique shape and the physical-chemical property of the cavity enables the cyclodextrin to absorb organic molecules or parts of the organic molecule which can fit into the cavity.
Zinc ricinoleate is a waxy solid that is substantially insoluble in water. Despite the water insoluble nature of zinc ricinoleate, this compound tends to form strong bonds with malodor molecules containing nitrogen and sulfur atoms. In order for zinc ricinoleate to form bonds with malodor molecules, the zinc atoms need to be activated so as to expose their available reaction sites. Activation of zinc ricinoleate, and hence activation of the zinc atoms, is typically carried out by solubilizing the compound in water. Once in solution, the reaction sites on the zinc atoms are available to form bonds with nitrogen and sulfur atoms thereby binding the malodor and removing it from the ambient. Formulations based on zinc ricinoleate differ from formulations based on cyclodextrins, since zinc ricinoleate-containing formulations remove malodor molecules by a binding mechanism, whereas cyclodextrin-containing formulations remove malodor molecules via entrapment.
Solubilization of zinc ricinoleate in water is not however an easy task. Instead, special surfactants and solvents like amine oxides, betaine, triethylene glycol, sulfosuccinates and other like materials are typically employed to carry out the solubilization. Even when solubilization of zinc ricinoleate is successful, the resultant solubilized solution will contain only about 10% active material, i.e., activated zinc atoms. That is, a diluted solution, i.e., solubilized solution, containing 10% activated zinc ricinoleate and 90% surfactant or solvent is obtained.
Although formulations based on prior are zinc ricinoleate concentrates may be used in many home care applications, much of the zinc atoms present in prior art formulations are not activated therefore they will not form bonds with the nitrogen and sulfur atoms present in malodor molecules. Hence, much of the absorbing/deodorizing capability of prior art zinc ricinoleate formulations is not realized. Therefore, formulated products based on prior art solubilized zinc ricinoleate concentrates function well below their potential absorbing/deodorizing capability.
In view of the above mentioned problem with conventional solubilized zinc ricinoleate concentrates, there is a continued need for providing a new and improved solubilized zinc ricinoleate concentrate that contains more activated zinc atoms than is the case with prior art solubilized zinc ricinoleate concentrates.
The present invention relates to a water-soluble home care concentrate that exhibits a high capability of absorbing malodors from an ambient so as to refresh that ambient. The inventive water-soluble home care concentrate is based on a zinc ricinoleate/alkoxylated amine blend which when solubilized by an appropriate solvent provides a diluted formulation that contains about 20%, by weight, or greater activated zinc atoms.
Specifically, the inventive water-soluble home care concentrate comprises a blend of zinc ricinoleate and at least one alkoxylated amine having the formula R(nAO)sNHt, wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched alkyl containing from 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms; AO is a C2-C6, preferably C2-C4, alkoxylate; n is the number of moles of AO and is from 1 to 50, preferably 2-10; s=1, 2 or 3; t=0, 1 or 2; and the sum of s and t is 3.
The water-soluble concentrate of the present invention can be used in a wide variety of home care applications in which malodor reduction and/or elimination is required. For example, the inventive water-soluble concentrate can be employed in carpet cleaners, bathroom cleaners, pet order removers, cat liter deodorizers, car refresheners, floor cleaners, spray deodorizers, food processing plant cleaners and in other like home care applications.
In addition to providing a water-soluble concentrate, the present invention also provides a diluted formulation that comprises from about 1 to about 50 weight % of the inventive water-soluble concentrate; and from about 50 to 99 weight % of at least one solvent. The diluted formulation of the present invention contains about 20%, by weight, or greater, preferably 30% or greater, activated zinc atoms therein. Home care formulations including the inventive dilutable formulation remove malodor molecules via a binding mechanism, rather than entrapment of the malodor molecules within a cavity.
The at least one solvent employed in this aspect of the present invention includes, but is not limited to: water; carboxylic acids such as citric acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, propenoic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, lactate acid; salts of said carboxylic acids; and mixtures thereof. Preferred solvents are water, a mixture of water and citric acid, or a mixture of lactate acid and water. In the case of a solvent mixture of lactate acid and water, a 100% solubilized clear concentrate is provided.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing the above-mentioned water-soluble concentrate. Specifically, the inventive method that is employed in fabricating the aforementioned water-soluble concentrate comprises the steps of:
(a) providing a mixture of zinc ricinoleate and at least one alkoxylated amine having the formula R(nAO)sNHt, wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched alkyl containing from 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms; AO is a C2-C6, preferably C2-C4, alkoxylate; n is the number of moles of AO and is from 1 to 50, preferably 2-10; s=1, 2 or 3; t0, 1 or 2; and the sum of s and t is 3; and
(b) heating the mixture to a temperature that is above the melting point of the zinc ricinoleate so as to provide a concentrated blend.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for preparing a diluted formulation is provided. Specifically, this aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of:
(a) providing a concentrated zinc ricinoleate/alkoxylated amine blend; and
(b) adding at least one solvent to said concentrated zinc ricinoleate/alkoxylated amine blend so as to provide a diluted formulation that contains about 20%, by weight, or greater activated zinc atoms therein.
As stated above, the present invention relates to a water-soluble home care concentrate that is capable of reducing and/or eliminating malodors from an ambient containing the same. The term xe2x80x9cambientxe2x80x9d as used herein denotes any atmosphere that a human olfactory system is capable of breathing and in which odors, including malodors, can be detected.
The first component of the inventive water-soluble concentrate is zinc ricinoleate which exists as a waxy solid that is substantially insoluble in water. The zinc ricinoleate employed in the present invention is commercially available under the tradename TEGO SORB PY 88 or it can be made using conventional processes well known in the art. For example, the zinc ricinoleate employed in the present invention may be made by reacting a zinc salt, i.e., ZnCl2, with ricinoleic acid (i.e., an oily unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid C18H34O3 that typically occurs in castor oil as a glyceride) and thereafter esterifying the resultant reaction product.
The second component of the inventive water-soluble concentrate is at least one alkoxylated amine having the formula R(nAO)sNHt, wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched alkyl containing from 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms; AO is a C2-C6, preferably C2-C4, alkoxylate; n is the number of moles of AO and is from 1 to 50, preferably 2-10; s=1, 2 or 3; t=0, 1 or 2; and the sum of s and t is 3.
Preferred alkoxylated amines that are employed in the present invention are C2-C4 alkoxylated coco or tallow amines that contain 2-10 moles of AO groups. Examples of such alkoxylated amines include VARONIC T210 which is an ethoxylated tallow amine (10 moles of ethoxylate, EO) supplied by Goldschmidt Chemical Corporation or VARONIC K-205 which is an ethoxylated coco amine (5 moles of ethoxylate, EO) supplied by Goldschmidt Chemical Corporation. Of these alkoxylated amines, it is highly preferred to employ ethoxylated coco amines such as VARONIC K-205 in the present invention.
The alkoxylated amine employed in the present invention serves two functions. First, the alkoxylated amine is employed in the present invention as a solubilizing agent for the zinc ricinoleate. That is, the alkoxylated amine employed in the present invention is capable of providing a highly activated zinc ricinoleate blend that can be completely solubilized (i.e., 100%) in water. The term xe2x80x9chighly activatedxe2x80x9d as used herein denotes a zinc ricinoleate blend that is capable of providing a diluted formulation that contains 20%, by weight, or greater zinc atoms therein. In some preferred embodiments, the alkoxylated amine is capable of providing a diluted formulation that contains 30%, by weight, or greater zinc atoms therein. Note that this represents a significant advancement over the prior art wherein only 10% active material is solubilized.
The second function of the alkoxylated amine is that it provides enhanced cleaning properties to the formulations in which it is employed. Thus, formulations containing the inventive concentrate are not only capable of absorbing malodors from the ambient, but such formulations are also capable of providing enhanced cleaning properties. This combination of increased malodor absorption and cleaning is not found in any other formulation that contains zinc ricinoleate.
The inventive concentrate of the present invention is made by providing a blend of zinc ricinoleate and the at least one alkoxylated amine. The blend is fabricated by first adding the at least one alkoxylated amine to a solid of zinc ricinoleate. The addition of the at least one alkoxylated amine to zinc ricinoleate is carried out by conventional means well known in the art. For example, the addition may be carried out by the incremental addition of small quantities of alkoxylated amine into a vessel containing solid zinc ricinoleate with continuous stirring, or alternatively, the alkoxylated amine can be added all at once to the vessel containing solid ricinoleate with continuous stirring.
The amount of alkoxylated amine added to solid zinc ricinoleate will vary depending on the desired concentration of the resultant concentrate. Typically, in the present invention from about 150 to about 400 grams of alkoxylated amine is added to 100 grams of solid zinc ricinoleate, with from about 185 to about 300 grams of alkoxylated amine per 100 grams of solid zinc ricinoleate being more highly preferred.
After adding the alkoxylated amine to the solid zinc ricinoleate, the mixture is heated to a temperature above the melting point of zinc ricinoleate so as to form a concentrated blend which may be solubilized into a diluted formulation that contains 20%, by weight, or more activated zinc atoms. Specifically, the heating step is carried out at a temperature of from about 40xc2x0 to about 80xc2x0 C. for a time period of from about 10 to about 60 minutes. More preferably, this heating step is carried out at a temperature of from about 50xc2x0 to about 70xc2x0 C. for a time period of from about 20 to about 30 minutes. During the entire heating step, the admixture is typically stirred to ensure formation of a substantially homogeneous blend of the aforementioned components.
The above steps of addition and heating result in the formation of the inventive water-soluble concentrate which includes a blend of alkoxylated amine and zinc ricinoleate. Note that the entire process of fabricating the inventive water-soluble concentrate may be carried out under vacuum or in an inert gas ambient such as He, N2 or Ar.
The inventive water-soluble concentrate may be packaged at this point of the present invention and shipped to a consumer for dilution and further formulation, or diluting and formulating may occur prior to packaging and shipment.
Insofar as dilution is concerned, a diluted formulation containing from about 20%, by weight, or greater activated zinc atoms therein is obtained by providing a concentrated zinc ricinoleate/alkoxylated amine blend using the above mentioned process and thereafter adding at least one solvent to said concentrated zinc ricinoleate/alkoxylated amine blend. The diluted formulation may also be referred to as a solubilized solution since the at least one solvent employed in the present invention is capable of completely solubilizes the inventive concentrate.
Specifically, the at least one solvent employed in this aspect of the present invention includes, but is not limited to: water; carboxylic acids such as citric acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, propenoic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, lactate acid; carboxylic acid salts; and mixtures thereof. Preferred solvents are water, a mixture of water and citric acid, or a mixture of lactate acid and water. The latter solvent is preferred in some instances since the combination of water and lactate acid provides a completely solubilizes zinc ricinoleate blend that is substantially clear.
The amounts of water-soluble concentrate and solvent employed in the present invention may vary depending on the attempted use of the diluted formulation. Typically, in the present invention from about 100 to about 10,000 ml of solvent is added to 100 ml of the inventive concentrate, with from about 1000 to about 3000 ml of solvent per 100 ml of the inventive concentrate being more highly preferred.
The addition of the at least one solvent to the water-soluble concentrate may be performed incrementally or by adding the whole quantity of solvent to the concentrate of the present invention. Dilution may be carried out with continuous stirring to ensure proper mixing of the ingredients. Additionally, the dilution may be carried out at room temperature or a slightly elevated temperature up to about 40xc2x0 C. or less may be employed. Although dilution may be carried out in air, in some instances it is preferred to perform the dilution in an inert gas ambient.
The final diluted formulation of the present invention contains from about 1 to about 50 weight % of the water-soluble concentrate and from about 50 to about 99 weight % of the at least one solvent. More preferably, the diluted formulation contains from about 1 to about 10 weight % of water-soluble concentrate and from about 90 to about 99 weight % of said at least one solvent.
Notwithstanding the amounts used in making the diluted formulation, the diluted formulation contains 100% solubilized zinc ricinoleate that contains about 20% or greater activated zinc atoms therein. Moreover, the diluted formulation of the present invention has a viscosity of from about 100 to about 5000 cps, with a viscosity of from about 300 to about 1000 cps being more highly preferred.
The diluted water-soluble concentrate provided above which contains 20% or more activated zinc atoms therein may be used as is in some odor absorption/cleaning applications, or the diluted concentrate may be further formulated into various formulations that can be employed in a variety of home care applications. When additional formulation is employed, conventional ingredients that are typically present in the specific home care product may be employed. For example, conventional surfactants including anionic surfactants, ionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants or any combinations or mixtures thereof may be employed.
In additional to surfactants, the diluted water-soluble concentrate of the present invention may be used with conventional solvents, dyes, preservatives, emulsifying agents, perfumes, antibacterial agents, thickeners, conditioners, antistatic agents, silicone surfactants, and other like ingredients that are typically present in conventional home care formulations. Mixtures and/or combinations of the aforementioned additional formulating agents may also be employed in the present invention. The amounts of the additional formulating agents that may be employed in the present invention are within ranges that are well known to those skilled in the art and further formulating is performed using processes that are also well known in the art.
The following provides some suggested formulation guides for specific home care applications Note the term Inventive Concentrate denotes a blend of 30% zinc ricinoleate and 70% Varonic K-205):
The following are some additional formulations that can include the inventive water-soluble concentrate:
Each of the above mentioned formulations including the inventive concentrate is exemplary and by no ways limits the scope of the present invention. Instead, the inventive concentrate can be used in any other formulation that is well known to those skilled in the art. Note that the inventive water-soluble concentrate and diluted formulation may be used as a spray, liquid, gel or solid.